


Can we just go back?

by Cinnamon_Schnapps



Category: Good Girls (TV)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Darker AU, Drinking, Extramarital Affairs, F/M, Hate Sex, Heavy Angst, Im warning you, Jealous Rio (Good Girls), Marriage, Planned Pregnancy, Pregnancy sex, Stalking behavior, Threatening behavior, Toxic Relationships, Unplanned Pregnancy, Verbal Abuse, breaking up, don't read if you are only looking for fluff or soft brio, some soft brio, spousal abuse, very toxic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-15 06:33:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28684122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cinnamon_Schnapps/pseuds/Cinnamon_Schnapps
Summary: I am well aware that I have so much audacity to start another fic when I owe about 3 updates to other stories, but here I am. This demon has been running rampant through my mind for over a month, and it has yet to leave, so since I have this space.....here we go! I will probably only do about 4-5 chapters, but you all might hate it so much that I'll just try to exorcise this demon again! LOL bye
Relationships: Beth Boland/Rio, Beth Marks/ Rio
Comments: 35
Kudos: 67





	1. I hate you; I love you

NOW 

Rio was on his way to pick up his daughter Raiyn from his ex-wife's house for a long four day weekend. Raiyn was born during their separation, and in spite of their impending divorce that year. His ex, Beth had threatened him many times with abortion because of his indiscretions that caused their divorce, but after realizing that she probably wouldn’t have anymore children with him or anyone else she decided to keep the baby girl. Their oldest daughter Jade was currently in her last year of undergraduate school at Wayne State University, and lived on campus, while their only son Marcus spent time between both parents during the week. Jade was sixteen and Marcus was eight years old when Beth and Rio split up. 

Both children took the divorce hard, but Marcus had a harder time adjusting to not having his parents under one roof, and he misbehaved a lot in school and at home for awhile. He knew that every time he got into trouble it forced Beth and Rio to have to talk to him together, to be in the same room with him, but once they figured out his plan, Rio started disciplining him alone, so he stopped. Beth and Rio wanted the best for their children and since they couldn’t stop fighting about his infidelity they decided that divorcing was the only option. 

She had stopped letting him touch her, and had taken the children out of the house for two months. When she did come back, she made him sleep in the guest bedroom and barely spoke to him unless it was about the children. Beth couldn't trust him anymore, and Rio didn't know what else to do to gain trust back with her, so for the sake of their children he stopped fighting the divorce and let her go, but things had gotten worse leading up to the finalization day, and he was arrested three weeks before Beth gave birth. Beth was hormonal and Rio threatening her made it worse, so after a heated argument where he wouldn't leave the house upon her request she called the police on him. Rio knew then that they were done, and when he got out of jail that Monday he had his boys to move all of his things from the house.

Beth cried the entire time after first refusing to let Mick, Dags, and Cisco into the house. She wanted him in the house, with her and the children, but she was hell bent on also making him pay for his affair every day until she stopped hurting about it. Rio texted her not to play anymore games so she finally opened the door and pushed past the guys to screaming at Rio as he sat in the car playing on his phone. She was eight-months with an aching back and feet but she stood at the front door watching Rio sit in his car making sure they got all of his belongings totally ignoring her. He wouldn't look at her or say a word, not even when she wobbled down to his Cadillac barefooted and banged on the windows screaming, nearly putting herself out of breath, and into an early labor trying to get the door open. He just sent a 911 text to Annie asking her to come and help Beth get back into the house to calm down, followed by a voice recording of her screaming at him outside of the car.

Raiyn was born August 23rd, and Beth had calmed down enough to let him into the room for the birth. Raiyn was their only child who came out looking like Beth with blond hair, blue eyes that looked gray, and a chin dimple to match. Her hair darkened the older she got but she still looked like Beth, while Jade and Marcus resembled Rio from his black hair to his tall lankiness and facial expressions.

Driving in his G-wagon to her house gives him the chills thinking about how much they had gone through to get to the place that they were now, divorcees, co-parenting three children, who occasionally bantered and bickered to the point that they often ended up in bed, on Beth's counters, in the living room on the couch, closets, the ottoman in the foyer, or a hallway bathroom fucking each others brains out while their youngest kid played in her room or was napping.

Beth wanted to feel guilty but she didn't. After all, Rio had married the same woman who he cheated on her with and a part of her felt like he would always be hers anyway. She knew that Rio had only married Crystal because she wouldn't take him back, and Crystal was always just there, waiting for any part of Rio that she could devour and make her own. He was Beth's, always was, always will be.

Raiyn stayed with Beth most of the time during the week because she was the baby, and because Rio had Marcus majority of the time due to his extracurricular activities after school. This was Rio's weekend so he was taking all of the children to Legoland. Jade even promised to come and help out with Raiyn since she had yet to get fully comfortable with his wife Crystal. Rio and Crystal had been married for four years and he still hadn't given her a child, no matter how much she begged. He would always tell her, "We have Rai and Mar, and they still need a lot of attention, maybe when they get a little older, yeah?" Crystal would get upset and rebuttal, "Mar is older and Raiyn isn't our baby, she's yours with Beth, it's not the same Rio!" Still Rio didn't budge and Crystal couldn't do anything about it but wait.

Marcus was at soccer practice until 4, so Rio went to pick up Raiyn alone and would get Marcus later. Rio had gifted Jade a new car since she was graduating this year, so she was meeting everyone at airport later for the flight to Florida.

Rio knocked on the door of Beth's modest four bedroom home that she won in their divorce, Rio's old home that he no longer had access to like before to turn a key.

When Beth opened the door she had on a navy blue embroidered summer dress, tan shoes, and her make up and hair were simple but striking. Her hair was in a shoulder lengthen tousled look and she had on pink lipstick. Rio was dressed in all black, as usual with platinum jewelry on his wrists and neck, he didn't even bother to wear his wedding ring.

Rio smirked, "Hey mama." He knew she was probably going on another date with some car salesman she had been seeing named Don, Dan, Donald? He didn't give a fuck because he knew that the guy was too boring for Beth and that she would never be with anyone else seriously while still fucking him regularly.

Beth smiled and stepped aside to let him in, "Hi Christopher, Raiyn is having a nap but her bag is all ready."

When Beth shut the door, Rio was looking her up and down with a smirk on his face and his hands at his side, "Where you goin?"

Beth walked past him to go upstairs and get Raiyn and he followed her closely.

She looked back at him ascending the stairs and said, " If you must know, I have an early dinner date with Dean."

"Oh yeah? How is Don?"

Beth smiled to herself at Rio's obvious jealousy and it made her feel good to know that he was upset. She had been seeing Dean for about three months and it was going pretty well, well besides her still sleeping with Rio before pickups and drop-offs with Raiyn.

When they reached the top of the stairs Rio grabbed Beth's left arm and spun her so that she was face to face with him, "Elizabeth, don't play games with me aight?"

"Christopher let go of me! I am not playing any games, you have a wife remember? No? Oh let me refresh your memory, Crystal, you cheated on me with her, married her, and have a life with her?"

She giggled saying, "I mean she acts like a stray puppy but I'm pretty sure she's your wife still."

He backed Beth into the wall across from Raiyn's room and put his hand at each side of her to cage her head in, "You think you real cute yeah? Does he know your cunt screams for me, creams for me, wants all of my cum until I have that sweet belly of yours swollen with my babies?"

Beth laughed and bit her tongue between her teeth, "Awww, you're jealous?"

Rio started tugging on the bottom of Beths dress, "Naw, you see I can have you whenever I want, you mine, your cunt is mine. He can take you on a little date darlin."

Beth smacked his hands away, "No you can't!"

He smiled, the ends of his mouth curling up at her, "Oh, don't be like that Elizabeth. You weren't saying that when I fucked you on your living room couch two weeks ago."

" In fact, if I can remember correctly, you said, "Chris, don't stop, don't stop. Wanna feel your cum inside of me papi."

Beth visibly grimaced at him mocking her during a vulnerable moment.

He chuckled, "Oh don't look disgusted now darling, you loved every moment of it. My cum painting your insides like a Monet. We make beautiful babies yeah?"

"Well, I don't think we should do that anymore."

"What about what I want?"

"Stop it Chris, Raiyn is right in there sleeping, and plus you'll ruin my makeup and hair."

Rio wrapped his arms around Beth's waist and grabbed at her ass as he begged, "C'mon, I need you mama, wanna feel that tight cunt on me, warming my cock while I make it my home."

Beth looked at him wondering how she had ever let herself get entangled with Rio again after all they had been through six years ago. She took her hands and pulled his off of her so that she could peak into Raiyn's room, she was still sleeping. When she turned back around Rio had already made his way to her room and he was taking his pants off at his side of the bed. 

She thought to herself, "His side of the bed, why did I just think that?"

Beth shut the door, knowing that she would give into their game after making him beg, "Chris, what are you doing?"

Rio was serious now but making the pouting face that could get her to do whatever he wanted, "Elizabeth"

"Don't Chris, don't make that face!"

"What face peaches?"

Beth smirked and shook her head, " You are worse than our children you know that right?"

"I just want you mama. Wanna think about you all weekend while I'm away, want you to think about me too, while you out with Dan and whatnot."

She sniggered, "His name is Dean."

Rio closed the distance between them and held Beth at her waist, "Why you goin out with him anyway?"

"Because he's nice, single, no children, has a good business, and I want to get married again some day too Chris, I deserve to be happy too you know."

"Me and our kids should make you happy."

Beth nudged him in the chest, "Christopher, you are married, to someone else."

"I don't wanna be, wanna be with you, you know that."

Beth didn't want to have this conversation, not now, it was too much.

She turned around in his arms, "Unzip me, hurry up before Raiyn wakes up."

Rio got Beth out of her dress, bra, and panties, and onto her back so fast as he sucked her pussy and had her moaning above him, "Oh Rio."

He smiled into her, "Yeah Mami, you taste so good, always so good."

She arched her back pushing more of her cunt into his face as he grabbed for his ears, "Fuck me papi, fuck me, ahhh, ahhh."

When she came he pushed into her and fucked her into another orgasm as he buried himself in her tits, sucking and bitting on them, marking her up.

She moaned, "Ahh, right there, right there, please papi."

He lifted himself by his arms and stared into her eyes as he fucked her intently, "Fuck, I love you Elizabeth, only you, only my babies."

Beth moaned loudly, "I love you too," and as she did her bedroom door opened and there stood a crying Raiyn looking at the both of them, " Mommy, why you crying?"

Beth pushed Rio off and out of her and covered them both with the Blue floral blanket yelling as Rio laughed, "Oh shoot!" 

"Raiyn honey, mommy is ok, go back to your room, and I will be right there."

Raiyn sniffled, "My daddy laughing at me mommy."

"Daddy isn't laughing at you Rai, I'm laughing at mommy ok?"

Her little voice was shaky as she tried to stop herself from crying, "Okay daddy."

Raiyn shut the door back and Beth was furious, " Now how are we going to explain this? She's going to be so confused! I knew this would happen Chris, I knew it!"

"Aww, she'll be alright, she won't even remember it in a few hours."

A few hours later

Rio, Crystal, Marcus and Raiyn were driving to the airport to go to the Legoland resort in Florida when Raiyn said to Marcus, "Mar, you know mommy and daddy was fighting and mommy was screaming! I started crying Mar."

Marcus just looked up at Raiyn from playing his Nintendo Switch and said, "What else is new?"

Rio tensed up as he drove because he could feel Crystal looking at him.

She turned in her seat, "What were you arguing with Beth about Rio?"

He looked over at her and smirked, "It's nothin aight, don't worry your pretty little head about it ok?"

Crystal turned to look at Marcus and Raiyn smiling before saying, "Rai, why were mommy and daddy arguing?"

Rio clenched his jaw, "Crystal don't aight? We'll talk later."

Crystal went to say okay, and leave it alone, but before she could Raiyn said, " My daddy was on top of my mommy in the bed, but, but she was screaming. I was crying but my mommy said she was ok Ms. Crystal."

Mar said, "What the fuck!" and busted out laughing.

Rio raised his voice, "Marcus, language."

"Mar said fuck daddy!"

Marcus continued to laugh in the back seat as Raiyn just looked confused.

"Don't say the bad word Rai."

"But daddy, Mar said it first."

"I know darlin, but it's a bad word."

"Ok daddy, I won't say it no more."

Raiyn had been repeating any and everything she saw, but this was the first time she had ever walked in on him and Beth.

Crystal didn't want to fight with Rio in front of the children so she said, "Rio, take me back to the house, now!"

"No. We will miss our flight. I said we'll talk later, chill aight?"

"I don't want to go, just let me out, let me out now!"

Rio pulled over at a McDonald's handed Marcus $20. He told him to take Raiyn inside to get an ice cream. He hated giving his kids fast food but right now he needed them out of the car so that he could calm Crystal down.

"How long have you been fucking her behind my back?"

"Why does it matter?"

"I am your wife Rio, don't disrespect me!"

He was nonchalant when he said, "I fucked you while I was married to her and we had family."

Crystal started crying, "No, don't turn this on me! I beg you for children and you won't give them to me!"

Rio reached over to grab her face, "Don't cry, stop it Rocky."

"Get off of me Rio!"

"I'm sorry aight? Please just calm down. I'll make it up to you, promise."

Crystal closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. Why she loved Rio was beyond her at this point but she couldn't let him go now that she had him. She was beautiful, had a nice petite body, was 5'5, brown eyes, long brown hair, a round face and a perfect round nose, and had a psychology degree from Wayne State. She needed extra money when she had met Rio working at one of his bars years ago, so he let her do a few odd jobs. One night when they were closing both of them had had a few too many drinks and he ended up fucking her on the desk in his office. Crystal wanted more after that but Rio wasn't going to leave his family for anyone, so eventually he paid her to go away, but she still continued to contact him. It was the worst mistake of his life and he regretted it, but when Beth wanted a divorce he went back to the other only women who he knew would take him with all of his baggage, Crystal.

"Why did you sleep with her Rio?"

Rio looked and Mar and Rai were coming back to the car, "Please, let's talk about this later aight? Not in front of my kids. They been through enough."

He let her go and she sat back in her seat and reached into the glove compartment for a napkin to wipe her face as the kids climbed back into the car.

Mar tapped Rio on his shoulder to give him his change after strapping Raiyn back into her car seat. 

Rio looked back at them smiling, "We ready to go get on the plane?"

Mar said, "I'm ready."

They both were eating their ice cream smiling and Raiyn said, "Daddy, my mommy make the best ice cream, you know that?"

Rio pulled out of the parking lot, "Yeah baby, I know."

Crystal sighed extremely loud as she sat stoic in her seat, unable to express her frustration the way she wanted too with Rio.

This was going to be a long four days.

THEN

Beth was at the butcher picking up fresh meat for dinner, and some snacks for the kids lunches this week. She had just brought the bags into the kitchen from the mudroom and sat them on the counter before she went looking for Rio, because the house was quiet considering he and Marcus would rough house and run all through the house giving her agita for all of her vases and furniture.

When Beth got to the bedroom door Rio was on the phone at the end of the bed with his back toward her, "Look, I said I'm home with my wife and my kid is here! I'll let you know when I can come by aight? Don't call this phone no more and stop textin' me when I'm with my family!"

"No, Rocky! I can't tell you when, I'll come by aight? Please, just calm down!"

"Naw, I'm not leaving my wife, I love her, we have a family."

Beth just stood at the door listening to him and she cleared her throat causing Rio to abruptly hang up the phone.

"I made a mistake, please just-"

"Who was that?"

Rio sweared under his breath, "It was no-one.”

"Christopher, who was that?"

"Elizabeth it was no one, let it go please."

Beth's voice started shaking, "Let it go? Are you having an affair?”

Rio got up from the bed to walk towards Beth and tried to reach for her arm and she snatched it back, "No, don't. Don't touch me!"

"Elizabeth, relax aight? It's not what you think."

“Who is she?"

“No one, and I said it ain’t what you think.”

Beth yelled at Rio and shoved him, "You tell me what it's like and what I should think, because from where I'm standing my husband was on the phone with his whore, in our bedroom!"

Rio grabbed Beth's forearms and tried to calm her down, "Elizabeth, she's no one aight?”

Beth's face was red, and tears started to run down her face as she tried to break free from him, "How long have you been seeing her? Did you sleep with her?"

Rio put his head down and continued to hold Beth's arms so she couldn’t get away, "She don't matter. Only you and my kids matter to me."

“Let me go, you're hurting me!”

“Only if you calm down! Jade can hear you! Mar is at Ruby's with Harry.”

Beth instantly gained composure about herself as best as she could, so that Jade wouldn’t hear them fighting. Thankfully she was in her room listening to music on her earphones.

Calmly she said, "Did you sleep with her Christopher?"

Rio let her arms go but stayed a foot away, "It only happened one-time aight?"

Beth slapped him and her tiny hands balled into fists and pushed at his chest several times pushing him. 

Rio stood there looking at her stunned because Elizabeth was never physically abusive to him in all of their years of marriage, even though sometimes he would lose control grabbing her neck, arms, and pinning her down during marital quarrels.

She continued to hit him, "All that talk about wanting another baby and you are having an affair? I want a divorce! I want you out! I hate you!"

Rio grabbed the front of Beth’s neck out of instinct, "Stop it Elizabeth, now!" They tousled until he was able to grab her arms and pin her against their bedroom door.

Beth kicked at Rio’s legs as she sobbed, “Let me go!”

He had her arms pinned down and his weight on her body. Beth wouldn’t look at him she was so angry and screaming so loud it gave her a headache, “Naw, calm down Elizabeth.”

Beth’s whole body gave out on her as she began to feel faint, and Rio had to bear her weight to get her to the bed to lie down when she passed out.

When Beth came to ten minutes later, she was laying on the bed on top of the bed linens still in her blue, red, and white plaid button up and jeans, while Rio was dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans sitting in the royal blue velvet chair in their room watching her with his arms folded across his chest, waiting for what was next.

She stared at the ceiling and said, "We need to talk to Jade and Mar tonight, together, and I need you to keep your cool in front of them, after that I want you out of the house."

"Naw, I ain't goin nowhere. This my house too and my family is here."

She sat up and glared at him, "Fine, I'll take my children and we will go."

Rio got up from the chair, "You ain't goin nowhere Elizabeth!"

Beth got up to go into the ensuite to shower and Rio stepped in front of her to block her way, "I fucked up. I ain't seeing her anymore aight? She just won't stop callin!"

Beth just looked at him as she tried to hold back her emotions, "I heard you! You told her you'll let her know when you'll come by! You lie to me, why?"

“I ain’t lyin, I just told her anything to make her stop callin!”

She threw up her arms, "You know what? I don't care. Fuck her, don't fuck her, but you will never touch me again! I can't stand the sight of you right now!"

Rio backed her up against the wall again, “Don’t talk to me like that aight? Don’t say that Elizabeth, watch your mouth!”

“I will never forgive you; I hate you; you disgust me!”

Rio looked at her dumbfounded and moved out of her way and Beth went into the en-suite to shower. She slammed the door and locked it.

When she came out Rio was sitting on the edge of the bed and he said, "I can’t let you leave me, I can’t."

Beth ignored Rio and started to pull undergarments from her dresser and clothes from her closet to put on so that she could prepare dinner for the kids.

"Elizabeth, I’m talkin to you!"

"Fuck you, go talk to your whore!"

Rio got up and grabbed Beth's arm so that he could turn her around and she tried to pull away from him and her towel fell on the boudoir floor.

He pointed at her, “I said watch your mouth!”

Beth jutted her chin at him, “I’ll talk to you however I choose!”

Rio had Beth pressed against the closet door with his body, his right arm had a firm grip around her upper right arm and his left one around the bottom of her face, “No you not.”

She started crying again, "Get off of me! How could you do this to me? To us? "

“Elizabeth I'm sorry, forgive me. "

Rio pulled Beth's naked body to his and he started to place opened mouthed kisses all over her neck, breast, and face as she sobbed.

Beth continued to cry as Rio made quick work of unbuckling his pants with his right hand as he guided her from the door to a navy-blue ottoman that was inside of the boudoir. Her face was red from crying and she was grabbing at his shirt to get it off as she watched him take his cock to her entrance.

“Why?”

Rio thrusted inside of her saying, “I wasn’t thinkin, I was drunk,”  
and she arched her back into him while he held her legs up by her lower thigh so that he could hit all of those spots he knew sent her wild.

"I love only you Mami, no one else."

Beth's eyes rolled to the back of her head as Rio fucked her intently, and she moaned out from the back of her throat, "ahhhh, fuck, fuck, I-, I hate you Chris!"

He started to pound into her, “You love me, and I love you.”

Beth said a barely audible truth, “I love you.”

Rio let Beth’s legs go so that he could get closer for skin-to-skin contact. He sucked on her neck and started to make love to her, kissing her as she whined out his name.

Rio said, "Forgive me please, I need you."

Beth didn't say anything else to him, but she whined his name until it was caught in her throat, and when she came Rio spilled into her for the second time in twenty-four hours. He pulled out of her and started to suck her clit bringing her to another climax as she rubbed both of his ears between her legs.

When Rio finished, he tried to help her up and she swatted his had away. She picked the towel up and stumbled to their bed completely naked and sated, curled into herself, and drifted off to sleep. Rio followed her and covered her up with the purple and blue paisley duvet blanket after tucking himself back into his pants. 

He said, "I gotta head out, but I'll be back before dinner aight?"

Beth had already drifted off, and when she woke up two hours later, she quickly cleaned herself off, re-dressed, and packed four bags, for herself and Marcus, and she told Jade to pack a bag for a few days.

When Rio came home that night there was no children, no Beth, no dinner, and the house was quiet. Beth had left and took Jade to pick up Marcus from Ruby’s, and they went to stay in her old apartment that Rio had no clue Beth had paid the rent on for years so that she could have somewhere safe to go in case anything ever happened.

He called her cellphone immediately and shot off questions, "Elizabeth, where you at? Where are my kids?"

Beth cleared her throat and started to walk towards her bedroom, she had been trying to stay strong for their children, "I'm not. We're not, we aren't coming back there." Jade and Mar started to ask a lot of questions on the way to the apartment, and she didn't want to lie to them, but she didn't want them to hate their dad either.

"Elizabeth, get your ass back to this house with my kids, now!"

She whispered into her phone as she watched Mar and Jade watch television from her bedroom door, "No, and don't involve them. Don't call Jade or Mar. Leave them out of our mess."

Beth could hear him slam his fist down on the kitchen island, "I apologized. I ain't gonna see her no more aight? I just fucked her one time, that's it."

"Who is she? I want to know."

"You don't know her aight? It's done."

“Does she work for you?”

“Used too.”

“What happened?”

“She got too involved.”

Beth chuckled as she went into her bedroom and shut the door, "You went to see her right? Did you fuck her after fucking me? Does she know your cock was still wet from me, your wife? Does she know you want another baby, with me?”

"No, I didn't. Look, tell me where you are so I can come and talk to you, I wanna see my kids."

"No, you didn't see her, or no you didn't fuck her?"

"Neither."

"You're a liar Rio and I’m tired."

“Elizabeth, wait!”

Beth laughed into the receiver mocking him, “I’m setting you free darlin. Enjoy life with all of those women, but you can’t have me too!”

“I don’t want them. I want you and my kids, and I want the one I put inside of you.”

“If I am pregnant again, I’m getting rid of it.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Try me.”

“Elizabeth I’m warnin you.”

“You made your choice and I’ve made mine, goodbye Rio.”

Beth hung up the phone and Rio completely lost it taking a glass vase with flowers off of the isalnd and completely shattering it to the ground leaving water, glass, and broken flowers everywhere. He grabbed his keys and left the house going to Annie's house first. He banged on the door and Annie came to the door in pajamas holding a shot glass, "What the hell Rio! You sound like the police!"

Rio walked around Annie into her apartment, "Aye, where's Elizabeth at?"

Annie had on an oversized black and white sweater with black leggings on and her hair was in a blond wavy bob, "I dunno dude. I haven’t talked to her since this morning.

Rio rubbed down his face, "Aye, need you to call her for me aight? Find out where she is so I can go and get my kids."

Annie furrowed her brows, "Why? What's going on?"

"Look, you don’t gotta worry about the details, just call her for me aight? “

Annie went to grab her phone off of the coffee table to call Beth.

“Hello.”

"Beth, where are you?"

"Why? Is Christopher there?"

Annie knew something was wrong by her tone and looked at Rio hunching her shoulders, so he walked over to her and took the phone, "Elizabeth go home now! I ain’t askin."

"Don't threaten my sister or my friends, because they have nothing to do with this! You messed up so you deal with it! This is what happens when you choose whores over your loving wife and family!"

Rio took Annie’s cellphone and went into the hallway holding up a finger to signal to her he needed a minute, “Elizabeth look, I’m on my way home and I expect you to be there, with my kids!”

“No! You want to manipulate me and treat me like one of your goodtime girls! I’m done being the good wife who is always at your beck and call! I take care of you, your children, the house, and this is what I get?”

Rio knew that he had to try a different approach, “No, that’s not-, Elizabeth, please come home with my kids, let’s not make this ugly aight? We will get through this like other married couples do and it will be ok, promise ma.”

“No Rio! I need space right now. I need to think.”

“Naw, we gotta figure this out together ma.”

“I’ve decided this is what is best for me and my children right now, Goodbye Chris.”

Beth hung up the phone and waited until Annie texted her to see what was going on, because Rio kept calling back-to-back from the cellphone.

When Rio gave Annie’s phone back, she said, “What did you do to my sister?”

“Mind your business aight? Elizabeth is just upset right now; she’ll get over it.”

“For as long as you and my sister have been together, she has never just up and left you, did you cheat on her?”

Rio just put his head down ashamed to face Annie, “Fuck!”

“How dare you! Get out of my apartment!”

“It ain’t what you think aight?”

“What is it then Rio? Beth would never leave you and take her children! You two have been through a lot, but nothing like this!”

Rio could see the hurt in Annie’s eyes, and he was sorry for the pain he was causing her and Beth, and soon their children.

“I fucked up, but I need her to come back, I can’t live without her, I won’t.”

“You need to leave; I can’t help you.”

He left Annie's house and went back home because he knew that if he went by Ruby's house that Stan would get involved and he didn't want any cops in his business.

He called Beth's phone again from a burner around midnight when he knew the kids would be sleeping and in bed. She picked up on the first ring, "What do you want Rio."

"I apologized Mama, please come home. Where you at?"

Beth was understandably still in a sour mood, "What does it matter where I am?"

"It matters cause you my wife and I need to know where you at with my kids. I want to know that you are safe."

"Oh, were you thinking of me when you were sticking your dick in other women? How many where there huh?"

"It was only one. That's it."

"I don't believe you."

"Why is that?"

"Because you make love to me and try to get me pregnant knowing that you've been messing around behind my back. Why did you want that knowing what you did? Did you want to have me knocked up, a prisoner in that house, and totally oblivious while you just ran around screwing other women?"

“No.”

“Why then? Was it because you knew that I’d find out and then I couldn’t leave you because of the baby?”

“No Elizabeth, it has nothin to do with her, with no one else, just us.”

“How long has this been going on?”

Rio bit his lip on the other side of the phone contemplating the truth or a lie.

Beth started sniffling, “That long huh? Well, you don’t have to sneak around anymore, we’re done.”

"So, what you wanna divorce me and take my kids?"

"You know what? Maybe I do. This relationship of ours has run its course. I've given you the best years of my life, two children, my youth, time, love, loyalty, and body, I think I've given enough."

"Well, I ain't just gon let you go, so now what?"

"It can happen whether or not you agree with it, so I think it's time."

"Elizabeth, think about our children. You really wanna put them through this?"

"Don't. don’t put this on me! Were you thinking about them when you betrayed their mother, destroyed our family?"

"Lizabeth, I'm not gon be happy if I gotta pay to track you down aight?"

Beth laughed into the phone through sobs, "What are you going to do if I don't? I'm not afraid of you! Everyone else around you may be but I'm not Rio! I have everything you love right here with me, and you'll never get it back if you push me too far! Don't ever threaten me again!"

"This how you wanna do this huh?"

"It's done Rio."

“How you gon survive with no money?”

“You would do that to your children?”

“Not if you come home, everything you need is here, with me.”

“If you cut me off, I-, I.” 

Beth broke down, she had had enough, and the fact that Rio was using money to leverage and control the situation took her past her point. 

She said, “I will sell every piece of jewelry, any and everything I have to provide for my children, including this wedding ring! I’ll never forgive you Christopher, never!” She hung up the phone and blocked him again, and every number he tried to call from, she didn’t plan on taking it off this time.

She went into the Jade's room to check on her and she was asleep, so she took her phone and blocked Rio from contacting her too. Marcus was sleeping in Beth's old room and she couldn't sleep so she went to watch television on the couch. She didn't know what she was going to do with two children in a two-bedroom apartment, but she wasn’t going back to their house with Rio, not now. Beth knew that after a few days Jade and Marcus would be missing Rio and asking to go home, but she had to figure out other options before she allowed Rio to have control and manipulate her further.

Beth called Jade and Mar's school the next day to let them know that they would be out of school for a week due to them both being ill. She needed to figure out where she was transferring them, and to make other housing arrangements. She got the school to mail the children schoolwork so they wouldn't fall behind and she planned to mail it back weekly, and she changed their emergency contacts at the schools. 

Rio called her every day from different numbers, sometimes several times a day trying to get her to come back home, or to tell him her whereabouts but she wouldn't answer, and the children started to get cabin fever by the fourth day being cramped in the tight space. Jade and Mar started arguing nearly every hour about something so Beth packed them all up and took them to the mall.

Jade sat next to Beth on the bench at outside of game stop as they watched Mar shop, "Mom, what is going on? Daddy hasn't returned any of my calls or texts, and I want to go home."

"Jade, I told you daddy and I have some things to figure out right now, so we are staying at the apartment. I thought you would be happy to be in your old room."

"Mommy, it's something you aren't telling me why? What's really going on?"

"Jade, I don't want you to worry ok? I promise when your dad calls me again you can talk to him, but don't tell him where we are ok?"

"But mom, why?"

"When you speak to your father ask him."

Jade looked at Beth and she could see the sadness in her eyes just like when she was little and Beth worried about Rio. She knew that whatever Rio did it hurt Beth, and her family would probably be destroyed. Jade put her head on Beth's shoulder and squeezed her hands tight as they laid in her lap.

Beth let the children have Chinese takeout for dinner and Jade stayed in the car while Beth picked it up and ran into the drug store. When the children went to bed that night Beth went into the bathroom with the drugstore bag. Beth had chopped all of her long hair off to a short curly bob that was a little below her ear and she had dyed her hair dark brown. She looked like a completely different person, and she was sure that the Jade and Mar would be shocked to not see her strawberry blonde hair the next day. 

Beth felt like her whole world was crashing down around her but she had to be strong for herself and her children. She knew that eventually she would have to go home and figure things out with Rio, but she didn't want to run back to him so easily after what he had done.


	2. You destroyed me; I tried to save us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Then- Beth and Rio marital woes; pregnant Beth;

THEN

Beth is in the kitchen cooking Jade and Marcus breakfast after being up half of the night cutting and dyeing her hair. She needed to do something to let out her frustration so that she wouldn't alarm the children. They both love her vanilla cinnamon pancakes with mixed berry compote, so she figured she would make them so that they would have less of a reaction to her new hair and behavior. Both of her children were early risers like her and Rio, so it was normal for them to already be dressed and at the table while she finished up. 

Jade had on black denim jeans, a pink long-sleeved sweater with black hearts, and pink doc marten boots, "Mom, your hair!"

Beth turned around putting on the best smile she could with the spatula in her hand still dressed in her purple floral PJs and her white robe, " good morning my angels!"

"Mommy, what did you do?"

Marcus was just looking in disbelief as he sat at the table dressed in gap jeans, a blue and white polo long-sleeved t-shirt, and grey new balance sneakers, 

"You look like us now ma, I like it."

Beth bent down to kiss Marcus' head as she held the spatula, "Really Mar, you like it?"

"I like your other hair, but that's cool too."

Beth smiled at Mar as she stood at the stove, "I'm the cool mom huh?"

Jade was obviously shocked and knew that her mother was going crazy, "Daddy is going to hate it."

Beth turned to flip the last of the pancakes, "Well I don't care what he thinks, this is for me!"

When Beth finished cooking she sat down and ate with the children at the small wooden four seater kitchen table that she had since Jade was her and Rio's only child.

"Ma, when are we going home? Why isn't pop here with us?"

Jade looked at Beth waiting to see if she would give Marcus the same answer that she received at the mall.

Beth chewed her mouth full of food and said, "Ummm well, daddy and I are taking some time apart."

Marcus put down his fork and placed his hands in his lap, "Why?"

Beth tried to lighten the mood, placing another fake smile on her face, "It's just grown up stuff honey, come on finish your food and I'll take you both to a matinee this afternoon, we can see whatever you want!"

Marcus could be easily swayed but Jade not so much, she wanted to know what was going on, and she wasn't going to leave well enough alone. After breakfast Jade went back to her room, and Marcus went to watch television while Beth cleaned the breakfast dishes and bathed. Jade was playing around on her phone trying to contact Rio and realized that his number was blocked, so she unblocked it and texted him.

"Daddy, Imu, why can't we come hm? Been tryin to call and txt you but it wasn't gng thru, pls call me."

Rio called Jade 20 minutes later and she went into her closet and closed the door. "Daddy"

"Hi Jadey."

"Daddy, what's going on? Mom is acting weird, she cut her hair, it's short, and and it's brown, and we haven't been to school. She's been letting Mar play video games, and watch television, and this morning at breakfast she told us we were going to the movies." 

"Where are you Jade?"

Jade was silent and she didn't want to lie to Rio, but she didn't want to betray Beth.

"Jadey."

"Daddy I-,"

Rio knew Beth had probably sworn Jade to secrecy, and he didn't want to bring his kid into his mess so he changed the subject, "So, what movie are you gonna see with your ma and brother?"

Jade let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, "I dunno, I'll probably let Mar choose."

"That's a good idea. How is he doin?"

"He asked about you today and mom said you are taking time apart. Why dad?"

"I made a mistake and your ma isn't ready to forgive me."

"What did you do?"

Rio felt ashamed and didn't want his children to hate him too. What he did was so out of character for him because he would never cheat on Beth, would never want to intentionally hurt her or their family. He knew years ago when he met her working at his bar one night that she was all he would ever want, ever need to make his life complete. Rio had had a call out at Diablo's and had to cover the shift that night and Beth was the third wheel with Ruby and Stan on a bar crawl. Beth ended up staying with Rio at the bar talking and after that night they were inseparable.

The whole relationship serendipitous, something beyond Beth's wildest dreams coming from the childhood she had with her parents. Rio had eventually moved her out of her apartment and into his loft that had more space and was in a nicer neighborhood. She didn't have to worry about money anymore and she was able to save from her job working in a law office. One year later Beth was pregnant with Jade and Rio proposed a week later when he took her out to London Chop House for a celebratory dinner. She was five months pregnant when they just couldn't wait anymore so Ruby and Annie helped them to plan a small ceremony inside of their Condo's community room with a priest. Beth had never been to church, except with Ruby's family, but Rio was raised Catholic so she agreed that he could take care of that part of the wedding securing someone who would marry them at her obvious state.

Everything was perfect, well except for when Rio came home covered in blood and injured, sometimes his, sometimes others; or nights when he barely made it home at all and she slept alone; or when he had to go away for business for days on end leaving Beth with a newborn; or when she could barely sleep between her anxiety for losing Rio and being left to raise their baby alone. He doesn't miss those times at all, it was the roughest time in their entire marriage up until now. 

"I don't want you to hate me too."

"Daddy, I promise I won't."

"You're a kid Jade, my kid, it's too much."

"Were you with someone else?"

Rio bit his lip on the other end of the call, "Yeah I did. Look, I aint seeing her no more, it was a mistake."

Jade started crying, "But, you, you love her, why would you do that daddy?"

"I dunno, I wasn't myself. Please don't cry Jadey."

"She's never going to forgive you daddy and it's going to break up our family."

"I'm tryin to fix it, I promise I'll fix it."

Jade sobbed into the phone and Rio honestly didn't know what else to say or do.

"Well, I gotta get back to work darlin. I'll call you later aight?"

"Daddy, I want to come home. Please talk to her, tell her you didn't mean it, tell her she has to forgive you, for me and Mar!"

Rio bit his lip on the other end of the phone, "I dunno darlin. That's up to your ma. I tried, I mean I'm tryin."

"Try harder!"

Jade didn't hear Beth knock on the door or come into the room until she spoke. 

"Jade, Jade, where are you honey?"

Beth got on her knees and looked under the bed, a familiar hiding place of Jade's when she was a kid, but she wasn't there. 

"Daddy, I have to go I-"

Beth opened the closet and Jade was sitting on the floor with her knees at her chin and the phone to her right ear crying.

"Who are you talking to Jade?"

"Mom, I just wanted to talk to him, I-"

Beth snatched the phone from Jade's hand and looked at the screen reading "dad".

"Hello?"

"Elizabeth."

"I asked you not to contact our children Christopher!"

"She called me. I am her dad, my kids wanna be home, with me."

"Are you saying they don't want to be with me, their mother?"

"No I'm not Elizabeth, calm down."

"NO, NO, Christopher! You tore our family apart, and now you think you're going to take my children and brainwash them? You can't have them, I won't let you take them from me too!"

By that time Mar was standing in Jade's doorway watching thee entire scene. Beth was yelling into the phone at Rio, "If you call her again, I'll never bring them back, you will never see us again!"

She hung up the phone and both of her children were crying and screaming. Everything was a mess and she didn't know how to fix it without giving into Rio. Marcus wrapped his arms around Beth as he sobbed and she sat on Jade's bed and just held him, while Jade sat in the closet crying with her arms wrapped around her knees sitting in fetal position.

"Mommy, I didn't mean to upset you I just wanted to talk to him. I didn't tell him where we were, I promise."

Beth sniffled, "It doesn't matter, there is nowhere I could ever hide from your dad. If he wanted to find me he did."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry that me and your dad are having problems. I never wanted this to happen and you guys don't deserve this. Mommy's going to fix it, I promise."

Jade came out of the closet and sat beside Beth and wrapped her arms around Beth and Marcus. Beth held both of her children until they stopped crying. She didn't know what to do, how to fix her marriage, how to forgive Rio or how to trust him again, but she knew she had to do what was best for Jade and Marcus, something her mother had failed to do with her and Annie when their dad left.

ONE MONTH LATER-THEN

Beth and the children were still in the apartment and she had finally let them go back to their schools after spending a week with her at home. She started to allow the children to talk to Rio on the telephone, and they did drop-offs at various places in between the apartment and the house on weekends so that they could spend time with him. She still wouldn't talk to Rio or look at him when they did drop-offs and pick-ups. It was the longest time they had spent not talking to one another and as the days went by she wasn't sure if things would EVER GO BACK to before the affair, before her family was torn apart, before the rug was pulled from underneath of her, and her perfect marriage began to disintegrate into nothing.

Rio had known where they where from Jade's iPhone when she unblocked him, but he didn't want to further upset Beth so he stayed his distance. It was getting colder the closer it got to December and the children were beginning to get anxious about Christmas. Winter break was coming soon and they always spent every holiday together as a family, and with Rio at home alone they didn't know if Beth would allow them to celebrate together. While the children worried about their impending holiday visitation Beth had another issue to deal with that wouldn't be going away anytime soon unless she handled it.

The children were with Rio for the weekend and they were meeting for a pick-up in two hours at the Westland Mall near Kohl's. It hadn't yet snowed in Detroit but the December chill had hit hard, so Rio had taken Jade and Marcus to get new winter clothes while they spent time with him that weekend.

"Shit, shit, shit!"

Beth was dressed in a black turtleneck sweater, black jeans, black ankle boots, and a bright red beret as she paced the bathroom floor. Her hair had started to grow out again and her blond was showing through, but she had decided not to color it again.

When the timer went off and she looked at the test she wanted to cry but the last few weeks had drained her of every emotion she had so she just stood frozen at the bathroom mirror holding onto the sink so hard her knuckles where white. When she finally let herself feel what she had honestly already known for about two weeks she gently lifted her sweater and placed her hands at either side of her belly. She wasn't even going to tell Rio, she was just going to get rid of it, because a baby was not going to be the savior of their marriage. Beth didn't want to bring another innocent life into their mess so she was going to deal with it just as she said she would, alone. She pulled her sweater down and that is when she broke down and curled into a ball on the floor and sobbed uncontrollably for what felt like forever. He wanted this, and despite her hesitation at first about another baby she grew to want this, and now she wanted to get rid of it, because they were broken up, their family was broken.

When she picked up the children she didn't even look at Rio. She just sat in the driver seat of her Slate Grey BMW X5M with her sunglasses on looking straight ahead. The weather was murky that late afternoon and honestly Rio could tell that something was wrong but he wasn't going to pry for fear of pushing Beth further away. He just stood outside of his matte black Cadillac staring at her as their children grabbed their bags, and gave him hugs and kisses goodbye. When the children got into the car she perked up and tried to forget about the positive test so that she could be present for them as they chatted away about their weekend with Rio.

When he got back into the car he texted her when the she pulled off, "Elizabeth, what's wrong? Talk to me. I want to fix this."

She didn't text him until she got back into the apartment with the kids, "Nothing. I'm ok. You don't have to worry about me."

"Oh, but I do. You have my kids, you're my wife. I want you to always be ok, all of you."

"Just worry about Jade and Marcus, I can take care of myself Rio."

" I miss you, I love you. Can't sleep without you at home with me mama."

Beth sat on the sofa after taking off her coat and jacket and hesitated sending her next text. She nervously bit her lip as she typed a response, deleted it, and repeated the act three times before sending the text, "Well I'm sorry but I need more time."

"You still in love wit me?"

Elizabeth didn't respond to Rio's text. She got up and started to help Marcus unpack so that she could get started on their dinner. Love wasn't enough this time, not after what he had done.

TWO WEEKS LATER- THEN

The children were both at school and Beth had finally made an appointment at the abortion clinic last Wednesday. She hadn't been feeling well for a few weeks, and she was ready to get the procedure over with so that she could proceed with her and Rio's divorce. She hadn't even realized that Jade had been telling Rio that, "Mommy is sick, she keeps throwing up, she sleeps a lot, and she has been eating weird things." Rio knew that Beth was pregnant and he was upset that she didn't tell him when he asked a few weeks ago if she was ok. Christmas was in less than a week and he wanted his family home with him, all of them, so he was going to the apartment to talk to Beth whether she wanted to or not. After taking the children to school Beth came back home and showered so that she could groom herself properly since she had canceled her monthly waxing services to save money. Usually she was already dressed for the day before 8 am but luck had been on Rio's side, and when he arrived from the right side entrance of her complex, she was already in her car pulling out of the parking space towards the left. He followed her knowing that she wouldn't notice his car and was shocked when he followed her to none other than the abortion clinic.

When she finally arrived to the Scottsdale Women's Center and Family Planning Center Rio knew what she was going to do if he hadn't been there to stop her in the parking lot. Beth didn't even have a chance to get out of the car before Rio had opened the passenger side door and had slid into the seat.

"Oh my God, Christopher what are you doing?"

He looked at her with such disgust and hatred in his eyes, "No, what are you doin Elizabeth?"

She went to open her car door to get out and he grabbed her arm to pull her back and she slid her arm out of her animal print boucle car coat, "Stop it, you're hurting me!"

He grabbed at her forearm that she had freed from the coat, "I said what are you doin Elizabeth?"

"I have an appointment and you are going to make me late!"

Rio continued to hold Beth's right forearm as she tried to wriggle herself from his grasp, "So you just make this decision without me? I don't get to have an opinion in the matter huh?"

She wouldn't look at him after he initially got her attention entering the car, "We don't need to bring another child into this, we aren't together, and I can't stand the sight of you after what you did!"

He was staring at the side of her face as she looked toward the clinic, "You hate me that much that you would kill my kid?"

Beth couldn't answer the question because she didn't hate Rio but she wasn't over the affair. It crept into her thoughts and bones and sat like rigor mortis, each thought feeling like it was eating her alive. Was the mistress prettier than her? Younger? Did Rio see her every time he left the house? What did she do for him that made him want to betray her? Was she better in bed? Did she listen to him or support him more? Would he still continue a relationship with her if Beth took him back? Had the woman seen Beth? Did she know they had a family? Had she been in their home? Their bed?

Rio had began to yell at Beth which was so uncommon, but becoming more frequent in the weeks leading to her finding out about the affair. He had been irritable, having trouble sleeping some nights after work, and he had been more impulsive than usual. Their sex life was always good but more recently she had been feeling like Rio was different some nights when he came home to her, and often times the sex was insatiable like he couldn't get enough. 

One night she had been cleaning up the dinner dishes when he came in from work, and she could smell his cologne before she could see him, Ermenegildo Zegna. She could smell the scent of bourbon vanilla on his skin as he wrapped his arms around her waist and began to pull her floral button-down dress up and her lace pink panties down, not even giving her a chance to turn around before he was inside of her and thrusting hard sending her into an orgasm as her body laid halfway across the counter. When he pulled out of her he was still hard and as Beth scolded him about lovemaking outside of the bedroom while the children were home, he pulled her down the hallway by her right hand and his left towards their bedroom with his cock in his right hand. 

When he got her inside and closed the door he lifted her up by her legs one by one until he had her back against the wall and was inside of her again thrusting until she was cursing, panting, climaxing, and moaning his name, all of them. She didn't remember when it ended, only that during the middle of the night at some point Rio had gotten her fully undressed and into the bed. She had passion marks all over her body from her neck to her legs and butt cheeks, and she was sore. It wasn't abnormal for her and Rio to be a little rough in the bedroom because she could take it, and sometimes when work was stressful he needed a release, but that evening was different. He didn't speak one word during their copulating, he just made Beth climax several times until she eventually passed out. She wonders now had she been so busy with the children and the house that she ignored the tell-tale signs of his cheating and erratic behaviors?

Rio was always so secretive, elusive, and guarded with everyone, but never with her, he had never lied to her or kept secrets, so this gutted Beth.

He yelled, "Elizabeth, answer me damnit!"

"Christopher let me go, now! I don't want you and I don't want this baby!" Rio made an empty threat to Beth out of desperation, "Do you want me to hurt you? If you try to leave me again that's what will happen."

Rio let Beth go and when he did she bolted from the car with her purse and keys leaving her door open so that she could go into the clinic, but before she could reach the door Rio was out of the car and pulling her by her coat and lifting her off the ground as her coat dangled from the left side of her body. He carried her back over to her car on his shoulder as she screamed “Ahhh, put me down Rio, put me down!”, so that he could shut and lock her doors. When he got to his Cadillac he let her down and caged her in at the passenger door taking her coat and helping her to get it back onto her right arm, "I've had enough of this, you are coming home with me, today, all of you, so you best get your head straight! You wanna divorce me, fine, but we still married, and I won't let you kill my kid!"

Beth pushed at his chest with her tiny fists, "It's always about what Rio wants right? I have no say about what's best for me and our children because it's always what's in your best interest, which is to control me, control every thing, and everyone! I'm not going anywhere with you!" Beth tried to go under Rio's arms and walk back towards the clinic, and he grabbed her arms and pulled her back towards his car forcefully and she gasped.

He moved in closer to her and put his head into the crevice of her neck and shoulder as his arms wrapped around her body shielding their baby, "Elizabeth, I'm sorry I hurt you, I'm sorry for everythin’, but darlin’, don't make this worse. Please, get in the car! I'm not livin’ or leavin’ here without you."

Beth closed her eyes as her back was pressed into his car and the wind whipped around them that cold day. She was so tired, tired of fighting herself, and Rio.

She sighed loudly as she opened her eyes, "Okay, okay."

After about 5 minutes he let her go so that he could open the door for her to get into the car, "Elizabeth"

She sat in the passenger side putting on her seatbelt as she looked up at him, "Christopher"

His voice was firm, bitter, concerning, "Don't ever try to make a decision like that without me again, aight?"

She looked away from him and he shut the car door and walked around to the other side. 

When he got inside of the car Beth sighed, "What about my car?"

"I'll get someone to bring it to the house later."

She sat back in the seat and they didn't talk the entire drive to the house. Rio had Mick to pick up the children from school later that evening and he had Beth to write a list of things she and the children needed from the house so that he could have his guys to pack the apartment up. Beth never renewed the month to month lease she had been paying on the apartment for over 16 years after she went back home with Rio that day.

Three Months later- Then

Christmas had came and went and it was almost perfect besides the obvious tension between Beth and Rio. The children were happy to be back home with their parents together and they seemingly went into the new year with re-found hope for their family. She was almost five and half months along and gotten back into her usual routine, but she had taken some time off at her craft studio, so that the children could have her more at home. Rio had been sleeping in the guest room since they came home, because Beth didn't want him in their bedroom with her just yet. They started to talk more but she wouldn't let him touch her sexually and it was driving them further apart. They felt more like roommates who coparented their children than husband and wife. They both felt that the intimacy within their relationship was destroyed beyond sex.

Beth wouldn't talk to Rio about anything other than the children, meals, medical appointments with the baby, Jade and Mar's school events, and the house. Rio started to consume himself with work and was hardly ever home. Crystal hadn't been working at the bar in months but she would come in late when Rio was closing up some nights and always drink with him. He didn't hate her so he never turned her away and besides she was a paying customer. Rio had been coming home late for the past week and a half due to work and Beth was starting to believe he was cheating again because she wouldn't sleep with him. One evening he had made it home in time for dinner after having an early drink with Crystal before he left the bar, and he sat at the table with them as they started to eat dinner.

Rio sat down at the head of the table across from Beth and Mar and Jade sat beside each other toward her with their backs toward the dining room door.

Mar looked up from his plate of roast beef, potatoes, carrots, French green beans, and homemade dinner rolls and said, "Pop, are you going to eat with us?"

Rio looked at Beth and she smiled at him as she stabbed at a piece of meat on her plate and said, "Daddy likes to eat his meals before he comes home with us, he knows it's not good for him, but he does it anyway."

Mar, obviously confused just continued to eat his dinner, but Jade looked at Rio shocked. She knew what Beth was implying and she was furious at her father.

"Elizabeth, don't."

"Don't what? You make me come back here with my children and you are still seeing your whore!"

Rio got up and walked over to Beth and pulled her from the chair by her arms so that they could go into their bedroom, "Up, now Elizabeth!".

"Let me go! I know the way!" Rio let her arms go so that she could address the children.

Beth looked back at the children before she left the dining room, "Every thing is fine, finish up your dinner ok? Jade can you give your brother dessert? It's in the fridge in the red bowl, strawberry shortcake, your favorite." 

It was Rio's favorite too, the first dessert she had ever made for him.

Rio pulled Beth into the room and shut and locked the door, "Why would you do that in front of them? I beg you to talk to me and you won't! You just hold it all in until you explode huh? Until it's blown out of proportion, until you make another irrational decision, until you hurt my kids, my baby."

Beth sat on his side of the bed just looking at him as he yelled at her about the comment she made in front of the children. She had on a long floral green and black dress that buttoned up the front with black boots, and a long black sweater. Her hair was in a curly bob that now was at her shoulders due to the prenatal vitamins she took daily for the baby. Rio was dressed In all black besides the navy blue bomber jacket and beanie he had wore. He had on his watch, wedding band, and a platinum dog tag necklace that had pictures of Elizabeth and the kids.

"Hey, I'm talkin to you!"

"YOUR kids, YOUR baby, YOUR money, that you use as a pawns to hold onto me while you continue to commit adultery? You're sad about YOUR baby getting hurt while you torture her mother every second with your lies? I don't want to be married to you anymore and I want you out of the house, now!"

"I'm not sleeping with her ma, it's not like that, I've told you!"

"Why are you seeing her at all? I told you, you can't have me and your whores too! I don't want this anymore."

Rio was furious as he listened to Beth, he held onto the right side of his head as if he was in pain before he lunged at her pulling her to her feet with his hands around her arms and backing her into the wall between the door and walnut lacquered dresser.

"Don't ever say that again Elizabeth, I'm warning you!"

"What are you going to do huh, hit me?"

"That's what you want me to do huh? Nah see, you think I don't know what your real problem is? What you're doin to provoke me?"

She juted her chin at him, "What's that?"

Rio made quick work of lifting Beth's dress up and he snatched down her black lace underwear, while simultaneously turning her towards the wall.

He took his cock out of his pants and pushed into her while cradling her stomach, "This, this is what you want right ma? You are denying me but it's only making you crazy not to have me inside of you, yeah? You all horny and you won't let yourself give in, just give in ma."

Beth had one hand on the edge of their dresser and the other was laid flat against the wall, "Ahhhh, fuck, give it to me then Rio."

"I want too ma, wanna only give it to you Elizabeth, only you."

Beth was so wet that Rio had to unwrap his hands from her belly and hold her hips as he thrusted into her so that his cock wouldn't slide out. He pulled her up against his chest as he palmed her clothed breasts and he could feel them start to leak as their bodies made loud slapping sounds together. 

"Fuck, I love you woman, why can't you feel that, see that I only want you?"

Beth started to clench around Rio and when she climaxed he wasn't far behind her, PAINTING her insides like a Monet. He didn't let her go until he was done and then he bent down as her ass was still raised for him and ate her from behind making her whimper and moan as her ass cheeks were slightly swollen and red from their ministrations. When Rio was finally finished pleasing Beth he turned her around to face him and tried to kiss her in the mouth with his dick still hard and rubbing at her core, "I won't see her again, promise peaches."

Beth slapped him and he grabbed her arm.

"Stop it!"

"You are pathetic! Why hold onto me if you continue to see her, what's her name again, Crystal?"

Rio let her go as if he had been shocked by lightening started to tuck himself back into his jeans.

"Oh did I scare you? Yeah, someone saw you with her at your bar! They listened to the conversation you had too!"

"No, no, no Elizabeth, I swear it's not what you think, please listen to me!"

"You keep telling me what I should think, and how I should feel, but how is this benefitting me Rio?"

"I take care of your children, let you convince me to have yet another child with you, and for what? So that you can fuck Crystal behind my back and continue to destroy what's left of our family? I want you out!"

"Elizabeth I-, I-"

"Elizabeth what, what? You piece of shit!"

His vision became cloudy and collapsed on their bedroom floor and his body began to seize as he foamed at the mouth. Beth started screaming as she tried to find her phone to call the ambulance. She grabbed the small pillow from their bed and knelt down to him to place it between his head and neck to keep his head from hitting the hardwood floor. When his seizure stopped he was still unconscious and lying on the ground near her underwear.

"Christopher, I'm sorry, please wake up, I don't know what to do. I didn't mean it."

She used the bed to help her back up and opened the bedroom door as she raced down the hallway back into the kitchen to get her phone off of the counter.

Her face was all red and she was crying when Mar looked up from the table, "Ma, what's wrong?

"It's ok sweetie, just finish up your dinner ok? Please listen to Jade tonight and no tv after 10."

"Mom, what's wrong?"

She held her stomach the whole time with her left hands her right dialed 911, "Hello yes, please I need help, I think my husband just had a seizure and now he's unconscious." 

"No, this has never happened before."

"We were having an argument and he kept holding his head and just fell. He was foaming at the mouth, please help me my children are here and I'm pregnant!"

After Beth gave the operator their address and answered some other questions she told Jade to call Annie so that she could come over with them while she went with Rio to the hospital. 

Beth hugged both of her children, "Stay out here with Mar please Jade. Let the EMT staff in when they come, I'm going to stay with daddy. Everything will be fine, promise."

Beth had Rio's head in her lap talking to him when the ambulance arrived 8 minutes later. They let her ride in the ambulance with him and Annie stayed with Jade and Mar until Beth came home the next day. The doctors were unsure about what happened to Rio but he had to stay for a few more days to be observed and run more tests. Beth didn't want to leave Rio alone, but Annie had to go to work and Sadie was coming home from Greg's the following evening. She called to check up on him and she brought the kids to see him before he was discharged to come home. The doctors still did not find the cause of the seizure but advised Rio to take it easy at home and at work.


	3. Our love wasn't enough; I'll wait for you forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some now and then content that will give an insight into Crystal and Rio's relationship, and what transpired between him and Beth.
> 
> Thank you to Miss Tricey for some of her ideas! She encourages us writers so much, indulges my crazy, and always gives me good advice💛!

Now

Crystal went to the bathroom while Rio and the kids checked into the resort. All of them were hungry and tired so Rio planned to order food when they settled into their rooms. Jade, Mar, and Raiyn were in an adjoining room next to Crystal and Rio. Crystal would do anything it took to keep Rio away from Beth so she was back to her old tricks again.

“Hello D?”

“Yeah Rocky, what’s up?”

“I need more but I can’t get it until I get back on Monday night.”

“I thought you said dude was having seizures and acting crazy?”

“He slept with her and that can’t happen again! Look, can you get it for me or not?”

Chuckles come from the other end of the phone, “His ex with the big tits?”

“Yeah, I need to remind her of the reason she left him in the first place.”

“I dunno Rocky, he was really having a bad reaction to this shit, what if he dies next time, or hurts someone?”

“That won’t happen, I promise I’ll lower the dose, just get it for me please? I can’t lose him.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll see you Monday night.”

“Thanks D.”

Rocky finished up in the bathroom and went to meet back up with Rio and the kids as they sat on the resort couches waiting for her.

The concierge had already taken their bags up to the rooms, so Rio gave Jade one of the room keys, and they made their way on the elevator to relax for the evening.

“Jade, you good with getting your sister in bed?”

“Yeah Dad, I’ve got her, don’t worry.”

“Ok, what do you all want for dinner? I’m gonna order for everyone.”

Mar said, “Pop, I want steak and French fries.”

“Daddy, I want fries too.”

Rio leaned in and kissed Raiyn forehead as she laid her head on Jade’s shoulder as she held her on the elevator ride, “ Just fries Rai? Mommy would want me to feed you some vegetables too.”

Raiyn yawned, “But daddy I want fries like Mar.”

“Okay darlin, daddy will get you fries.”

Jade said, “ I’ll take a Caesar salad with shrimp daddy, and you can just order Raiyn chicken and fries.”

“What about drinks?”

“Gatorade”

“Water and apple juice”

“Aight, no dessert?”

Mar said, “Chocolate cake.”

“None for me and Raiyn. I doubt if she’ll even eat her food after her bath.”

“Ok, I’ll come say good night when the food gets here aight?”

Jade said, “kay.”

They all got out of the elevator and went to their respective rooms. Jade and Mar had double queen beds so Raiyn was going to sleep in her bed.

As soon as Rio and Crystal got into their room she started arguing.

“Why did you sleep with her Rio?”

“Can’t we just enjoy this vacation Rocky?”

“No, we can’t! You said we would talk away from the kids, so talk!”

“You want me to lie to you and I can’t, I won’t!” 

Rio gestures his hand between the two of them, “If you want this to work, then I suggest you let it go Rocky.”

“ I’m not asking you to lie Rio, tell me the truth!”

“You want the truth?”

Crystal had her arms crossed staring at Rio, “Yeah, I do!”

“I love her. I never stopped, she’s the mother of my kids, my first everything, I’ll always be in love her. Can you handle knowing that about me?”

Crystal couldn’t even cry anymore because she knew, so she decided to drive the knife in deep for him too, “Oh, you’re in love with the bitch who got you arrested? The bitch who tries to kill your babies? The bitch who doesn’t even want your crazy ass? The bitch who takes your kids away from you when she’s mad? That’s the bitch you are so in love with huh? You’re a dumb ass Rio!”

Rio lunged forward and his right hand went around Crystals neck as he forcefully pushed her into the wall, “Shut your mouth Rocky!”

Crystal struggled to talk but she wanted to push his buttons, she enjoyed the personal hell they shared together. She knew Rio only married her because he believed he had to when Beth divorced him and wouldn’t take him back. She knew he was torturing himself by marrying her at that quick courthouse ceremony, and acting like he could ever be happy with someone else, anyone else but her, but he felt like he deserved it for ruining his marriage with Beth.

“Or what?”

He knew what to do, he always knew what to do to put her back into her place. Crystal taunted him relentlessly about his issues when they argued and he honestly felt like he deserved it, but he knew how to make her stop. She was more addicted to his cock then Beth, it made her stupid, made her forget and forgive so fast, that’s one thing that set them apart. Beth always held him accountable no matter what, he needed that, he loved that. No matter what Crystal did to please him she could never measure up to Beth, and she knew.

Crystal had a false sense of control over their relationship, and he let her believe it most times just to shut her up about having a baby, and creating this life she thought they would have together. Rio only wanted his children from Beth, wanted her to have another so bad, because he always wanted a big family.

“ Or what, Rio! I’m the only one who wants you, Beth doesn’t want you! No one wants you, just me!”

Rio took Crystal by her neck and sat her on the bed as he hovered over her, “Unbutton your pants and take them off now!”

Crystal looked up at him,” You can’t have me and her too Rio, I won’t let her break up my marriage.”

“Rocky, off.”

Crystal took her pants off and she was sitting on the edge of the bed with her cream blouse on in a red thong with her legs open.

Rio pushed her back and climbed on top of her, “I can do what I want, that’s why you love me.”

He bit into the left side of her neck and sucked on it as he unbuttoned his pants with his right hand. He took his cock out and moved her thong to the side and pushed inside of her cunt, “whatever I want.” 

Rocky was wrecked as he fucked her roughly in her cunt before savagely taking her from behind. She came twice and Rio made sure not to come inside of her when he was done, always opting to leave it on her body for him to see. This was the total opposite of every time he slept with Beth, which is why she had gotten back on birth control a year ago when they started having an affair.

When he was done he got up and went into the bathroom to shower leaving her there with his cum all over her inner thighs. Crystal took napkins from the nightstand and wiped herself off. She removed the rest of her clothing and went to join Rio in the shower.

Rio got out when he heard a knock at their room door. He put on a towel leaving his chest bare and got the room service. He quickly dressed and went to eat dinner with his children leaving Crystal all alone in their hotel room to eat dinner alone.

THEN- Beth at 8 Months Pregnant

One afternoon, Beth fell asleep on the couch folding laundry and that was the beginning of the end for them. During this time she could barely walk most days but she was determined to stay on top of housework and cooking for the kids so they wouldn't have to eat fast food. Her and Rio had been at least being cordial since his accident three months ago, but she had again refused to let him touch her and it made her cranky and irritable some days because she couldn't get herself off. 

Rio had still been acting odd and Beth didn't know what was wrong with him, but she didn't pry and she tried not to nag him so long as he stayed out of her way and helped her with their children. He hadn't had another seizure but on days that he closed the bar she noticed that he would have a hard time sleeping and he always sat by her door talking, rambling, doing anything to get inside of the room, but she wouldn't let him inside. Rio couldn't sleep and some nights he wouldn't let her sleep either pacing between the bedroom door inside and watching her through the French doors outside. The first few times he did it Beth was scared and she would cry because he would bang if she ignored him, never hard enough to break the window, but just enough to get and keep her attention. What was worse is that he could never remember what he had done even when Beth would show him videos or play the audio of him banging and yelling at her some nights.

He went from gentle to enraged, It was always the same, "Elizabeth, let me in please, wanna be with you and my baby."

"I love you, let me in, it's cold out here ma."

"Christopher, come back into the house, it's warm."

"I wanna come in with you, let me in."

"Wanna make you feel good, open the door peaches. Miss you mama.”

"Please Christopher, I am tired, go to bed."

Bitterness crept in when he drunk or was unknowingly high, "I shouldn't have to beg to sleep with my wife."

"You're drunk Rio! Go sleep it off!" 

Beth got up every time he became belligerent, closed the curtains, and shut the light off on him. 

Rage would slip in, All I do for you, all I have done, and you are just an ungrateful, selfish, bitch to me! Let me in damnit!”

“Maybe I should go get it somewhere else!”

She’d yell back, “ you’ll do it anyway! Fuck you Rio!”

He would bang and bang on their French doors until he was tired,"I'll never let you be happy if you aren't with me Elizabeth, just know that sweetheart."

He could've picked the lock easily but he wasn't about to assault his own wife, he wasn't a total animal.

He wasn't drunk at all most nights but the one or two drinks he'd have with Rocky before coming home was laced with several drugs each time. Drugs that put a person like Rio off kilter because he had never done anything besides weed as a teenager. Every one had a different effect on drugs but mixed together Rio was a totally different person, one that Beth had never met, never had begun to imagine. She chalked his behavior up to stress, perhaps an early mid-life crisis, or not being able to reconcile with the state of their relationship, and marriage.

Beth never thought for a moment that her husband had been being drugged, not once but constantly by a woman who simply became obsessed with a man who treated her kind, and helped her when she had no one. Crystal wore a gold ring that was in the shape of a heart that she often received many compliments on from customers and even Rio while working at the bar.

The ring is where she held her secret, what she used to manipulate Rio into believing that he had actually slept with her and caused his marriage to crumble. Each time she would pour him a drink she would use her thumb to hit the tiny button on the band of the ring to open the heart and drug him. He went home to Beth every time and nearly imploded if he didn't pass out at the bar.

Rio would pick arguments with Beth for not reconciling with him or sleeping with him, and other times he would be flat out sobbing for her to forgive him. Some nights he would make his way to the guest room and others she'd find him outside of her door asleep after losing his mind when she wouldn't let him inside of the room, or inside of her where he felt the most love and security.

He still catered to her late night cravings when she would text him on his way home from work, because he didn't want her going out and what she wanted varied from day to day. One day she'd want bananas to dip in a chocolate fondue and another she wanted pickles and Rocky Road Ice Cream. Beth would wait patiently on the ottoman by the front door so that she could grab the bag from Rio and go into their room locking the door. Sometimes he would grab and her arms to try and make her keep him company, but he didn’t want to hurt her so he’d let her go when she said she was tired or didn’t feel well.

When he would pass out at the bar Crystal would leave him in his office after taking the most compromising pictures of them together. He never remembered anything so he had always assumed they slept together. Those night where he’d come in late or not at all enraged Beth, because she always assumed he was having an affair.

At work Rio was different too, growing volatile at the most minute situations, but his boys would never tell her that, they never told her his business, but had they had any idea of what was going on in his house they would've figured out he had been being drugged. Mick just tried to cover Rio as best he could so that he could make it home to his family and still do decent business in Detroit, but he wasn't thinking straight most days, making amateur mistakes. Rio was truly turning into Jekyll and Hyde.

As Beth went along during her pregnancy she had met a nice guy named Tim at the supermarket two months ago, and although her obvious condition and marital state, he still wanted to become friends with her and hopefully go on some dates after she gave birth to Raiyn. She was hesitant at first but she felt that Rio was still fooling around with Crystal. They texted and talked on the phone a lot and Beth really liked him. He visited the house when Rio and the children were gone during the day always bringing her groceries or treats for her and the baby. He knew not to call or come after a certain time because Beth wanted to keep Rio out of her business.

That afternoon in her fourth trimester Rio came home early, Beth was asleep on the couch and Rio came in to her passed out surrounded by folded clothes, it was 1:30 pm and the children were still in school. Rio just sat beside her and started to place the clothes surrounding her into the basket to put away. He took the last stack off of her belly to place in the basket when her cellphone buzzed with a message from Tim. Rio picked up the phone and unlocked it because they knew each others passcodes.

"Hey Beth, sorry I couldn't stop by today. Let me know if you need anything, and I'll swing by tomorrow and drop it off for you and baby Raiyn*smiley face emoji*. Hope you are having a wonderful day beautiful."

Rio was livid, Beth didn't even tell him what she was planning on naming their kid, and she had told a stranger. 

He texted Tim back on her phone," This is Elizabeth's husband, she won't be seein you anymore. Don't come by my house again, don't text or call her."

Rio could see the text bubbles go across the screen and eventually disappear, but Tim never replied back. He blocked the number and put Beth's phone back down on the table. He waited for her to wake up and when she did he was still sitting beside her but nursing his 4th double shot of vodka. He had long called Ruby and asked her to get the kids from school until this evening, since Sarah and Jade had last period together anyway, and Marcus and Harry were inseparable. It was around 4:30 pm when Beth finally woke up from her nap.

"I'm sorry, I must have dozed off, what time is it? Are the kids home?"

Rio ignored her as he chugged the drink and sat the glass on the table, "Aye, so who's Tim?"

Beth looked at Rio, and then looked at her phone sitting on the table near his glass. She tried to get up from the sofa and he placed his hand on her knee making her sit back on the couch, "Where you goin, sit, let's have a talk yeah?"

"I don't want to talk about this with you while you're upset. I can smell the alcohol on your breath."

Beth tried to get up again and Rio squeezed at her lower thigh making her sit back again.

"Raiyn huh? It's cute, ceremonious, melancholy even. You telling your little friend my business?"

"No, and I was going to tell you."

"When? After you and Tim finished sneaking around behind my back, in my house, in our bed?"

"No, it's not like that, he's just my friend!"

Rio put his hand on his chest feigning ignorance, "Oh, excuse me, I've only been married to you for over 16 years, and have known you for half of my life, I'm sorry he and I have never met."

"I don't have to share everything with you! You did this, you broke our trust, you broke us! I needed someone to talk too!"

Rio removed his hand from Beth's leg and stood up and when he did he turned around and reached for her hand to help her up. Beth hesitated at first but then she let him help her up and when she was on her feet she tried to reach for her phone and Rio grabbed it before she could. 

"Give me my phone."

"What you wanna call your little boyfriend?"

"No, and he's not my boyfriend."

"C'mon, let's go for a little drive."

"No, where are my kids?"

"Oh Ruby's gonna watch them for us while we talk yeah? So come on let’s go see Tim."

"I'm not going anywhere with you, you're drunk!"

Beth went to walk around Rio and he grabbed her pink and white cable knit floral cardigan at the back, "Get back here Elizabeth, I ain't done talkin to you!"

"Stop it Rio, please let me go!"

"I'll never let you go, in fact I think I'll pay your little friend a visit, make sure he got my message loud and clear."

Beth tried to take the phone from Rio and they tousled, "Give me my phone, give it to me!"

"Damn ma, you wanna talk to him that bad huh? I'll kill him if you see or talk to him again!"

“You wouldn’t!”

Rio cocked the gun and Beth instantly started to cry, "Get out of my house! I don't care where you go but you can't stay here! I'm done, I don't feel safe with you around me or my kids."

"You want me out of my house? My house? All of my hard work paid for this, my time, my sacrifice, my money!"

"Every thing is about you! I've never sacrificed for this family? I’ve never sacrificed? I have been with you when you had nothing but your job at the bar and was hustling day and night to get ahead! Living in a crapy one bedroom apartment with Jade in the same room with us until she was one, waiting up praying you made it home, cleaning and patching your wounds, cooking, cleaning, raising your children, and sacrificing my wants and needs for years so you could do you! All of your hardwork? That's bullshit Rio and you know it!"

“Well he or no one else can have you, you mine!”

“ I’m done with this. I’m so done!”

“ Is that right?” Rio took his gun and waved it around and then he shot at her Lalique vase that was on their mantle causing it to shatter and put a hole into the wall. It was a wedding gift from her grandparents, the one she cherished the most. The mix of drugs in his system from last evening and now the alcohol making him loose control.

"You see him again, or anyone with a dick that aint Greg or Stan, and that will be his head!"

Beth covered her face and screamed, she was scared to death,"Ahhhhhh!"

"Oh my God, please stop Christopher stop!"

"You want me to stop? Get over here, now! You my wife Lizabeth, mine! My wife, my kids, my baby, my house! No one else aight?"

"Ahhh, no, no, please just leave, oh my god." Beth urinated on herself she was so terrified as she backed away from Rio into the foyer. Her maternity jeans were soaked and she didnt know what was going on with Rio but she had reached her limit.

"Oh fuck babe, are you going into labor?

" I have to go and clean up, please just let me go."

Rio walked up to Beth and wiped the tears from her face with his thumbs, a part of him was there she saw it, saw it in his eyes as he took his hand down her face and lifted her chin before saying, "Don't do anythin stupid aight?" 

This was the first time in their relationship and marriage that she didn't lean into his touch and want him so desperately to make everything safe again.

She backed away from him shaken onto the hallway and went into their bedroom and locked the door. When she finished cleaning up she called the police and waited until they arrived to come out of the room. 

Rio looked at her from the hallway as they interrogated him in the foyer. He wouldn't let them inside of the house but they looked at Beth's round belly as she peered around the corner of the hallway. 

He was cleaning up when they came so he had sat the mop and bucket by the door.

"Mam, are you ok?"

"Yeah, she's fine, look this is just a misunderstanding aight? That's my wife, she's just a little emotional right now with the baby and all."

"Sir, someone called from your house and we had another report of gunfire."

Beth looked into the living room and the policeman followed her line of sight and saw that glass was shattered and a bullet hole was in the wall, "I, I- want him to leave and he won't go, I don't feel safe with him here."

"Does he have a gun mam?"

Rio looked back at her and his jaw clenched.

"He is licensed to carry it."

"Sir, where is the gun now?"

"It's locked up."

"Mam, did he discharge the gun in the house?"

Beth just looked at the ground and didn't say anything.

"Sir, we're gonna need you to come with us."

"Naw, this is my house and I ain't do nothin."

"Step outside sir."

Rio tried to shut the door on the two policeman but they both charged inside of the home and after tasing Rio they were able to handcuff him and take him out. He had placed his gun inside of the ottoman by the door before he opened the it to avoid one less charge if they took him in, he was drunk but not a complete idiot.

“Ahhhhhh, please don’t hurt him, oh my God Christopher!”

"He didn't say anything as they had him on the ground handcuffing him, nor when they lifted him up off of the ground. He just looked at her scornfully and she couldn't bare it so she looked away still crying. A female officer stayed behind to talk to Beth but she wouldn't say much in fear of getting Rio into more trouble. He was angry and she knew it, knew he would probably pay her back for what she had done, because he had not been himself lately. He taunted her one minute and was remorseful the next. Ruby came over that night to drop the children off and sat on the couch with Beth as she cried her eyes out about what had happened after Jade and Marcus had went to their rooms.

Rio didn't call thee entire weekend and Monday morning after the children had went to school he came with Cisco and Dags to collect some of his belongings from the house. Beth didn't file a restraining order like they told her too, because she knew Rio just needed to calm down, just needed some time to think. She was not prepared when she opened the door and saw his two henchman standing there with a small moving truck.

Beth was in the kitchen attempting to prep a Chicken Parmesan dinner from scratch after taking what felt like her fifth break at the dining room table when she heard the door bell followed by three hard knocks. She could no longer stand for more than 15 minutes without needed a small break. She had on a purple sweatsuit, chestnut ugg house slippers, a white and yellow sunflower apron, and a yellow scarf that she used as a headband to keep her growing hair in place.

"Coming."

"Uh, hey Beth."

"Christopher's not here."

"We know, look we are here to get some of his things."

"Where is he?"

"Look Beth, we don't want any trouble aight? We just need to get Rio's things and we'll be out of your hair."

"No, if wants to move out and leave his family for that whore he can do it himself!"

"He doesn't want to upset you so please just let us do our job."

Rio texted Beth's phone and she took it out of her back pocket to read, "Elizabeth, let them in. No more games mama."

Beth looked toward the street and she had finally saw past both mens broad meaty shoulders to see Rio sitting on the passenger side of the Black Cadillac, and she kicked her slippers off and pushed past them to walk down their lawn to confront him. 

"Is that him in the car? Christopher get out of the car!"

As soon as Beth stepped foot off of the porch to confront him both men went inside with their boxes.

She shouted at him the whole way down the lawn, "You are such a coward!"

"Get out of the car Rio!"

"If you leave this house you can never come back! Do you hear me?"

Rio looked up at her through the window briefly and returned to playing on his iPhone.

"I'll never let you see them, they'll never be allowed around her!"

She banged on the windows with her small fists, she grabbed at the handles of the front and rear passenger doors trying to get to him.

"Rio get out of the car now! If you don't get out I swear to God it's over, we're done!"

Her face was beet red and tears were falling like an open faucet, "Open the door Christopher, please!"

"Don't leave us, don't leave me, I didn't mean it, I was scared."

Rio was being so mean, cruel even, but he felt that he had to protect himself. She had involved the law in their problems and he hated that it had gotten this far. He didn't know how he had lost total control of his life, but he knew he was tired of hurting Beth and his children, so he had to remove himself. He didn't want her to hurt herself or the baby so he called Annie but she didn't answer, still on-wry about the last incident at her apartment so he voice messaged her, "I need you to come be with your sister, she ain't doin too good right now." In the background Annie could hear Beth screaming and sobbing so loud it was painful when she replayed the message.

"Come into the house, come into the house now Christopher! Do you want me to come inside of the car because I will! I can get in!"

Beth went to the bottom of her garden and took a brick from the decorative landscaping and walked back towards his car throwing it at his window. Rio had bulletproof windows so it scraped but didn't shatter, and Beth lost it trying to bend over and pick up the brick to try again.

"If you don't get out of the car you'll hurt Raiyn, do you want to do that? Huh? I won't keep her, I swear I won't if you continue to destroy this family!"

Rio looked up at her and he still said nothing and 10 minutes later Annie peeled into the driveway and rushed over to try and get Beth who was now trying to kick dents into Rio's car.

"I hate you, I hate you Christopher Marcus DeLeon!"

“Rio get out of the car! Your family is here you asshole!”

Annie managed to get Beth into the house on the couch and she was a wreck. Two weeks later Rio was rushing to the hospital because Beth had went into labor home alone, and she called him when she was half way to the hospital because Ruby, nor Annie could be there with her because of work.

Despite the horrible spring rain in Detroit that day, their Raiyn came out with the biggest smile on her face, and all the anger and resentment between the two of them seemed to dissipate at least enough for them to enjoy their new baby.

Three months later they would finalize their divorce and come to an agreement about the house, spousal support, and the children. The rift returned a year later when Rio came back from a suppliers wedding aboard a six day cruise to the Bahamas apparently married to Crystal. He and Beth didn't speak for a year afterwards, and during that time their children and their nearly lifelong friendship suffered. It took a parents night in at Marcus' school a year and a half later for them to finally be able to communicate without being forced in front of the children, and they ended up screwing in an empty classroom in the school that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so check it. I am going to finish this in four chapters, finish my other two fics by the end of March and then I am going to officially retire from writing, at least for awhile. The darker side of life is seeping into my writing and I don't think I wanna indulge that heavily anymore. I hope you guys at least enjoy how I find a way to redeem Rio as I always do (methods to my madness), although this chapter will probably be a hard read as well. Thanks to those who enjoy the darker AU side of my fics and always give me honest feedback.

**Author's Note:**

> Still hiding....maybe writing.....not sorry...


End file.
